It is known to fabricate articles from various elastomers and rubbers including natural rubber such as latex, synthetic rubbers such as neoprene, and the like, and mixtures thereof. For example, for many years, "breather bags" for ventilation equipment have been fabricated from latex rubber compositions.
It has been found that when latex articles such as breather bags, are contacted with other rubber articles such as a latex glove, the two surfaces often slide relative to each other upon the application of forces having a tangential component. Because breather bags are often grasped and "pumped" (a medical procedure commonly referred to as "forced ventilation"), it is desirable to have a positive, non-slip contact with the bag.
It has been suggested to roughen the surface of breather bags to provide a more sure gripping surface. One such bag known in the art, is fabricated by dipping a mandrel in a conventional latex rubber composition, and then attacking or roughening the surface of the bag with a solvent and an acid such as glacial acetic acid. A major drawback of this process is the hazardous exposure and disposal characteristics of the solution. Similar acid roughening has been know for many years with respect to various rubber articles, and is known to weaken the rubber article itself. To be useful for ventilation equipment purposes, breather bags must be capable of elastically expanding to at least a 700 percent elongation. Chemical roughening of the bag makes this parameter difficult to reach, particularly in articles having a relatively thin wall thickness.
Furthermore, chemical roughening agents may leave a residue upon the article which may be detrimental to the article itself and also to the end use application of the article.
Therefore, a need exists for a rubber article which has a textured surface, and a method for producing the article by other than acid roughening or other chemical roughening means.